Pizza Party

Laura and Molly

Last week, my friend Laura decided that it'd been too long since the local gang all got together. She made reservations for us all to have dinner at Nomad Pizza in Hopewell. I love her for showing me all of the great stuff that's happening in that little town! Of course, even if this place weren't in an adorable town, it would still be worth seeking out and making reservations for. Max capacity is only 41 people so it's definitely on the small side. It is also an absolute treasure of a pizzeria. I didn't think I needed another one on my radar. This is especially true because I still have a small list of shops that I haven't been to yet that I continue to hear great things about.

Those will all come eventually. This post belongs to Nomad. Do you see that piece of paper? It's the menu. Like De Lorenzo's, it is short, sweet and to the point. They have pizza, a few salads and drinks. That's it. And that is all you need. Trust me.

All of that writing up there...it's not even ALL menu. The upper right hand corner is some jibber jabber from the chick who wrote Eat, Pray, Love (she's a local). The left hand side is a small list of specialty pizzas. They also have rotating daily specials.

One of the more clever things on the menu? Fanta and Coca Cola from Mexico. Some of you may know that I stopped drinking most sodas about five years ago. I drink the occasional elitist artisan root beer and about once or twice a month, I allow myself a Mexican Coke. I love them because they're made with real sugar. They aren't too sweet and syrupy. They are light, crisp and satisfying.

Let's not forget about the true star of this place...

...the pies. They average from about $12-20. I shared one with my 8 year old kid but if we'd been two adults, we would have needed a second. They aren't very big but they pack a delicious punch. This is the margherita pizza with buffalo mozzarella. A small amout of cheese, a subtle sauce, a pinch of basil and it's all signed/sealed/delivered in a thin and airy crust that still gives a glutenous pull with each bite.

There were several items on the menu that I would have loved to have tried (including the special which had artichoke hearts!) but that's just more motivation to bring Chris back here. He will absolutely love it.

To top it all off, they bring you your choice of either milk or dark chocolate squares along with your check. I thought it was super classy! I was the only one who ordered dark and the waiter gave me a smirk.

The chocolate was a sublime finish to an equally blissful meal. I am already trying to formulate another day trip to Hopewell for antiquing and for more meals. There is a restaurant that is a block up from Nomad that I've heard makes their own kimchi!

In the meantime, if you live in the area and know what is good for you, you'll get yerself a reservation for Nomad. Bring cash, they don't take cards. It's also BYOB.

Andrew, Kate and David are discussing some serious business.

Bringing some good friends is also an option! There are few things that go better with pizza than beer and friends.

Nomad Pizza

10 E Broad Street

Hopewell, NJ 08525

609-466-6623

This Soup is ON.

This week is going to be dedicated to some of my favorite local eateries. There are so many places that I love to go so it was difficult to narrow them down! It really doesn't require much to make me happy. Good food combined with reasonable prices and service will usually get a thumbs up from me. Throw in a little ambiance and I'm over the moon! A key factor is the selection of vegetarian options. Being stuck eating either a crappy side salad or a plate of french fries is safe way to bet that I won't be back....unless you have some really kick ass fries!

1...2...3 of the places this week are located in Cranbury, NJ. The town itself provides a lovely ambiance of it's own and it always relaxes me to make the drive over. I know that people don't usually think of Cranbury when they think of reasonable prices but as long as you aren't shopping for a house, you can find some great deals on some solid meals. It's definitely worth a visit!

The first place on our tour is Cranbury Pizza. This place is bare bones with few frills but they make up for it with their fantastic pies. My absolute favorite would be the margherita brick oven pizza. Margherita pizza is a fairly new concept for me. Basically, it's a pizza with sauce and a few spots of fresh mozzarella cheese. Once they pull it out of the oven, they toss some fresh basil on top. Since there isn't much to it, it's impossible to hide crappy components. Luckily, the crust and the sauce work in harmony to build a solid foundation for the cheese. That extra kiss of basil sends it right over the top.

Another big reason I go to Cranbury Pizza is the soup. As a matter of fact, they should rename it Cranbury Pizza and Soup. It's that good.

This is the lentil soup. I never go without placing an order for the biggest size they have. It will only set you back $3. Every once in a while, I switch it up and go for the pasta fagioli which is also some of the best I've had in the area. If you aren't in the mood for pizza, they do have a menu full of traditional Italian fare. I rarely stray from the pies but I have been known to occasionally order the gnocchi. It comes with red sauce but I always opt for garlic and olive oil.

Despite the lack of trendy atmosphere, I really enjoy eating in as opposed to taking it home. Cranbury Pizza is one of those places where I really feel like I live in New Jersey. Especially if one of the area teams is on T.V. All of the guys who work behind the counter are the real deal. Sometimes I just sit and listen to them talk and smile to myself.

Cranbury Pizza

63 N Main St # 2

Cranbury, NJ 08512
(609) 409-9930